Sticking To The Provision

CPN (UML) leader Ishwor Pokharel has made it clear that the political stakeholders should stick to and abide by the provision of the interim constitution to decide on such crucial subjects as the future of the monarchy. At a function the other day, UML standing committee member Pokharel maintained that there should not be any recourse to haste to decide on such sensitive matters as the monarchy because the final decision on it should come from the legitimate opinion of the people. As said by CPN (UML) leader Pokharel, all eyes, therefore, should be set on finalising the laws and procedures to facilitate the process for holding the polls to the constituent assembly. A positive aspect in this regard is that the political stakeholders are determinedly seeking to finalise them quickly and reach an understanding with a sense of unanimity. As political interests vary among the parties, it is natural that discussions and deliberation are prolonged. Some delays are bound to occur for arriving at a settlement over the constituent assembly.

However, it is hoped that the political parties will not seek to construct new excuses and invent new issues to derail the process. As said by the UML leader, the declaration of a republic from the parliament would not be legitimate as the current legislative parliament is not an elected one and, therefore, lacks legitimacy in taking any decision on such a critical subject. The political leaders should, therefore, zero in on finalising the date for the constituent assembly polls. The decision on the polls would indeed rivet the attention of all the political stakeholders to building a strategy on ways to solicit popular support. The task that lies ahead of the political parties is, therefore, to create a healthy atmosphere to allow all opinions to flourish. The parties should join hands with other forces to finalise the date for the polls so that all confusions and concerns are cleared and allayed. They should help to accelerate the process for the institutionalisation of political democracy through election to the constituent assembly.

Source: The Rising Nepal, June 11, 2007